Combination overnight case and portfolio



April 29, 3952 S. H. LIFTON COMBINATION OVERNIGHT CASE AND PORTFOLIOFiled Aug. 26, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY April 29, 1952 s. H.LIFTON COMBINATION OVERNIGHT CASE AND PORTFOLIO Filed Aug. 26, 194.7

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W A TTOIPNE'Y JNVENTOR. Wwxya p 29, 1952 s. H. LIFTON2,595,039

COMBINATION OVERNIGHT CASE AND PORTFOLIO Filed Aug. 26, 1947 3Sheets-Sheet s um 28 52 (74 J] 29 I a JNVENTOR. I BYWEL ATTORNEYPatented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I.

COMBINATION OVERNIGHT CASE AND PORTFOLIO Samuel H. Lifton, New York, N.Y.

Application August 26, 1947, Serial No. 770,683

2 Claims. 1

The invention is directed to a novel satchel adapted to serve as acombination overnight case and portfolio. One object of the inventionresides in the provision of a swingable cover on the satchel forremovably housing and tiltably sustaining a portfolio embodying anexpandible and contractible bellows defining a plurality of filingcompartments and adapted to be conveniently tiltably projected out ofthe swingable cover for convenient access thereto in the opened relationof the portfolio and adapted to be quickly restored in a compact orcontracted relation within the cover so as to be appropriately housedtherein. Another object is concerned with a tube or passageway at thelower part of the portfolio for threadably receiving a retaining strapcarried by the cover. A further object resides in the provision ofkeeper means on the free end of the retaining strap adapted to removablyinterlock with a rotatable turnbuckle or latching means secured at onecorner of the cover. The invention has as a further object the provisionof complementary and disconnectable strap means cooperating with therear panel of the portfolio to limit tiltable displacement of theportfolio out of the cover. Other important functional and structuralfeatures and advantages of the invention will appear from the followingdetailed specification taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the satchel according to my inventionshown open and illustrating the retained portfolio in an open relationand tiltably projecting out of the cover.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the satchel shown closed.

Fig. 3 is a view substantially similar to Fig. 1 but illustrates theportfolio closed and retained within the cover of the satchel.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the hollow swingable cover afterthe portfolio has been removed therefrom.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 4 showing the inner ends of thecomplementary strap means secured together while the outer ends thereofare secured to the sides of the cover.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the portfolio with the front panelshown partly broken away to illustrate the internal construction.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the portfolio taken on the line '|-'l of Fig.6.

Fig. 8 is a broken transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of the cover illustrating the lower strapremoved and unlocked from the turnbuckle.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing the lower strap lockedagainst removal by the turnbuckle.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line 12- -12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged and fragmentary view of Fig. 11, and

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line I l-I4of Fig. 8, particularly illustrating the longitudinally arranged tube orpassageway in the lower part of the portfolio.

According to the invention the satchel generally designated S embodiesthe receptacle R and the swingable hollow cover C held desirably raisedby the hingedly associated bars l0 and H appropriately fastened to thecover and recep tacle.

Removably confined within the hollow cover of the satchel is theportfolio BC comprising a'bottom wall l2, the spaced and upstandingfront and rear panels l3 and M, the interconnecting expandible andcontractible bellows or gusset IS, the swingable closure means embodyingbridge l6 which is integral with the rear panel l4 and includes thenormally depending lip l1. The bridge IS in fact constitutes the topwall of the portfolio as is well understood.

Disposed longitudinally of the portfolio BC and fixedly secured to thebottom wall [2 thereof by the spaced rivets as l8 (Fig. 9) are thespaced leather strips l9 and 20 characterizing an elongated tube orpassageway 21 which extends along the entire length of the portfoliofrom end to end. These strips l9 and 20 have their longitudinallydisposed margins secured together by lines of stitching as 22 and.interposed between strip 20 and the lower wall 12 is the relatively flatreinforcing bar 23. Strips l9 and 20 constitute a tube or passageway forthreadably receiving the swingable leather strap 24 having one end 25fixedly secured to rear or bottom wall 26 of the cover C. Strap 24 isreinforced by the elongated resilient and flexible bar 21 (Fig. 12) toprovide rigidity and is formed by the secured leather str ps 28desirably concealing bar 21.

Fixedly anchored to the free end of the retaining strap 24 is the ringshaped and sheet metal keeper or eye 29 provided with an ellipticalopening 3|] for passing over the rotatable and spring controlledelliptical manipulator or 3 fastened to the leather plate 34 which isturn is anchored to the cover by the rivet 35.

In the alined relation of the rotatable head 3| and the boss 32, detents3 I depending from head 3| are removably interlocked with the indents3|" of the boss. With the keeper 29 passed over both head 3| and boss32, the former is rotated ninety degrees about the fixed guide pin 36secured to the boss at which time to maintain such relation detents 3|snap into and interlock with indents or recesses 32' of the boss. Head3| now overhangs the body of the keeper precluding removal of the latterfrom the boss. Head 3| is normally urged against boss 32 by a spring 35and head 3| and boss 32 constitute conventional disengageable lockingmeans Well known in the art and may be considered as turnbutton meansgenerally designated T to removably hold the retaining strap 24 thereon.

The portfolio BC is removably retained within the cover by the aid ofthe reinforced strap 24 which may be quickly threaded into and along thechannel 2| f the fixed tube or passageway defined by the inwardlyembossed wall or strip I9 and the companion strip or member 20. Eye 29serves as an adapter to facilitate threading or travel of the free endof the strap 24 through the socket and when emerging therefrom it isalso mounted over the rotatable head 3| and boss 32 of the turnbutton'I, after which head 3| on pin 36 is rotated ninety degrees forautomatic locking thereof. By this arrangement strap 24 has its formerfree end removably locked to the cover and retains the lower part of theportfolio seated in place on the lower wall of this cover.

Disengageable and complementary strap means 31 and 38 have their outerends fixed to the sides of the cover C. More specifically conventionaland disconnectable snap fastener means 39 and 40 are mounted at theinner ends of the strap means 31 and 38 and are adapted to be positionedunder the top wall or bridge l6 of the portfolio to cooperate with therear panel l4 to retain the portfolio when fully closed (Fig. 3) withinthe cover or if in an opened relation (Fig. 1) to preclude the upperpart of the portfolio and more particularly the rear panel l4 thereoffrom falling out of the cover.

Gusset I5 is provided with a plurality of spaced partitions 4| defininga plurality of compartments for storing and filing correspondence andsuitable record sheets as is well appreciated.

If the portfolio be retained by the lower strap 24 and by thecomplementary strap means 31 and 33 at a time when the cover of thesatchel is in a raised or opened position (Fig. 3) and if the latchingmeans broadly designated 42 be unlocked from lip or fiange ll, thelatter may be quickly elevated to open the portfolio. If a forwardthrust be now applied to the front panel l3, the gusset expands and istiltably projected out of the cover (Fig. 1) to permit quick access tothe papers filed in the several compartments. Thereafter the brief casemay be closed. In this con. nection, front panel H! has applied theretoa rearwardly directed thrust thereby again fully positionin the gusseti5 and panel l3 within the swingable cover (3 after which lip I7- islocked.

According to the invention the handle H may be expanded to the brokenline position illustrated in Fig. 6. In this connection attention isdirected to the spaced loops or bearings 45 fastened by suitablestitching to the bridge or top wall l6. These loops slidably guide theelongated shank or body of the handle H which embodies enlarged ends orwings 46 provided with laterally extending shoulders 41 cooperating withthe fixed loops which serves to limit movement of the ends 46 towardseach other at a time when the intermediate portion of the handle isgrasped for opening thereof.

Normally the leather handle H is collapsed or in a relatively fiatrelation against bridge or top wall It. In such relation the portfoliois free of the front wall 43 of the cover C and with lip unlocked theportfolio may be tilted into and out of the cover until limited by theretaining strap means 31 and 38.

If the portfolio be closed and fully arranged and retained within thecover of the satchel, it may be slightly tiltably rocked on seat 26 ofthe cover but outwardly tiltable displacement is limited by thecomplementary strap or stop means 31 and 33 when connected together.

As shown in Fig. 3, the closed portfolio is retained against falling outof the cover by the lower but now locked strap 24 and by the connectedupper strap means 31 and 38. To remove or detach the portfolio from thecover, lip I1 is unlocked and raised. Thus access is had to the strameans 31 and 3B which are now disconnec ed. Thereafter the rotatablehead 3| of the turnbutton is rotated to unlock keeper 29 of the lowerstrap 24 which is now removed from the turnbutton. At this time theportfolio may be removed or unthreaded from the lower and formerlylocked strap 24 and consequently is free of the satchel and thereaftermay be carried about from place to place independent of the satchel asin many instances is desired.

The top wall or bridge I6 is preferably reinforced by the flat resilientand metal plate 53 (Fig. 8) held in place by the leather strip 5|fastened by stitching to the top wall |6.

Nested and U-shaped cylindrical rods 60, 6|, 62, 63 and 64 are utilizedto reinforce the front and rear panels l3 and I4.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the inventionor sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

1. In combination, a satchel having a hollow cover, a portfolio having abottom wall provided with a channel, a member secured to said bottomwall for closing the lower portion of said channel and constituting withsaid wall a tube, a strap connected to said cover and removablythreadable through said tube and in part extending beyond one end ofsaid portfolio, and locking means cooperating with said part to preventremoval of said strap from said tube.

2. In combination, a satchel having a hollow cover including a bottomwall extending lengthwise thereof, a portfolio having a bottom wallprovided with a channel, a member secured to said portfolio wall forclosing the lower portion of said channel and constituting-with saidportfolio wall a tube disposed lengthwise of and at the lower portion ofsaid portfolio, a strap within said cover and having one end adjacent toone corner thereof fastened to said bottom cover wall and including abody removably threadable through said tube to extend lengthwise acrosssaid bottom walls and including a free end projecting beyond saidportfolio, keeper means secured to said free end, and locking meanswithin said cover and mounted on said cover wall ad- 5 jacent a cornerof said cover opposite to said first mentioned corner for removablycooperating with said keeper means to hold said lower portion on saidbottom cover wall.

SAMUEL H. LIFTON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Crouch Apr. 10, 1894Number Number Number Name Date Pettibone Dec. 11, 1906 Gilbert May 14,1907 Warren Mar. 16, 1915 Laprade Jan. '7, 1930 Feldman et a1. May 19,1931 Murphy May 24, 1933 Plotkin May 9, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate Great Britain Aug. 2, 1939

